Jim Craig
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About Jim
In the mid 2010s Dr. Craig established the UMSL Student Veterans Center and founded UMSL’s innovative Veterans Studies Program, helping UMSL garner national recognition as both “Best for Vets” and “Military Friendly. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Veterans Studies and the executive board of the Veterans Studies Association. His 2015 paper, “Bounding Veterans Studies” has been widely recognized as a foundational document used to establish Veterans Studies Programs at many colleges around the country. Prior to his academic career, Jim served for 25 years as a soldier, as a cadet, and as an officer in the U.S. Army. He left the Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Contributions
In the News
Publications
Explores how Other Than Honorable (OTH) discharges limit veterans’ access to VA benefits and increase risks of mental health issues, substance misuse, homelessness, and suicide. Recommends standardized discharge reviews, independent evaluations, and improved VA–DoD data sharing to ensure fair assessments and better support for affected veterans.
Makes a case for establishing a scholarly association of veterans studies.
Examines the current state of Veterans Studies through a literature review. Explores the history and structure of various "Studies" fields to determine if these established disciplines could be instructive for Veterans Studies practitioners.